Reversible frog



R. P. WEAVER.

REVERSIBLE FROG.

AAAAAAAAA 0N FILED NOV. 21. 1920.

1,391,226. Patented-Sept. 20, 192-1.

. 2 EEEEEEEEEEEE I.

n F? g a N R. P. WEAVER.

REVERSIBLE FROG.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1920.

Patented Sept. 20

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

"UNITED STATES.

BIcHAnn P. WEAVER, or cARL'I'snE, PENNSYLVANIA.

REVERSIBLE FROG.

Toiall whom it may concern:

"Be it known that I, RICHARD. P. WEAVER, a citizen of the United States, residing at carlisle injthe county of Cumberland and.

State :of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and: useful Improvements i11.Reversible Frogs, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. 1

This invention relates to railway frogs, and particularly to sectional frogs.

The general object of the invention isto.

provide a railway frog that will have double the life of an ordinary frog, and in this connection to form the frog of a plurality of sections, one-of said sections forming'the frog may body of the frog, and uponwhich the wear comes, the other section forming splice bars holding the bodyof the frog in place on the track, the body of the frog being reversible so that thereby after the body of the frog hasrbeen worn upon one face, the frog body may be reversed so as to substitute a new andunworn face. i

A: further object is to provide a construc-- tion of this character in which the splice bars areformed with means for supporting that portion ofthe body of the frog which is. reduced in thickness and which has tobear the weight ofthe train, thus preventing anychanceof the body of'the frog being broken. 7

A further object isto provide a construction' of. this character in which the splice bars and the frog body are formed with alining transversely extending bolt openings whereby the spice bars and the body of the be bolted together and rigidly held in correlated position. 1

Other objects will appearin the course of the following description.

My invention is. illustratedinthe accon panying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan View ofv the frog assembled; Y r

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the middle portion of the body of the frog;

Fig. 3 is a sectionon the: line 33g0f Fig.1; m r

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 1;: I

Fig.1'5 is a section on the line -5- 5 of Fig. 1'; I

F ig; 6 is ,a section on the. line 6-6 of Fig.1; I J

this material for the purpose. 'A'ofthe frog is an integral casting and is Specification of Le tters Patent. Patented Spf, 20, Q: spasm... filed November- 27, 1920. Serial No. 426,738.

lateral sectionsof the frog;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the other lateral section.

Referring to these drawings, .it will be p seen that the frog is composed of a body por-' tion, designated generally A, and two splicebarsor lateral sections, designated-B and C.

.These three sections are preferably cast of manganese or alloy steel, though naturally I do not wish to be limited to-the use of.

The body formed as illustrated in Fig. 2 and in the sectional views in Figs. 3 to 6. This body is cast or otherwise formed to provide upon its upper and lowerfaces a medially diSr: posed, longitudinally extending or longitudinally tapering tread portion 10. This portion 10 tapers toward the end 11, this'sharp end 11 terminatingshortof the endofthe';

body A. The opposite end of this tapering transverselyflat tread portion is designated: 12 and is relativelywide, and from this butt end 12 of the tapered portion extends a ta-- p'ered extension 13 whose upper face is be low the level of the upper face of the portion 10, the opposite faces of the portion 10 being recessed, as at 14, .to this level of the p0rtion'13. The lateral faces of the portion 13 are longitudinally ribbed to fit against the websof rails E, and this portion 13is transverselyperforated, as at 15,. with bolt holes.

are Webs 16 which begin inward of the butt end 12, these webs being less in thickness than the thicknessof the portion 10, illustrated most clearly in the section in Fig. 5. 2

The ends of .thesewebs 16 arecurved in Extending laterally from the-portion 10 I ward, as at 17, and merge'into the side faces I 16 are the oppositely-projecting flanges 18 g and 18*, as shown most clearly? in the sectional views in Figs. 3 to 5. hese flanges. at their ends adjacent thebutt end of the withrelation to each other and the portion 1 portion 10 are outwardly curved or flared i somewhat beyond the extremity 1 1 of the portion 10, and then these flanges diverge slightly from each other, leaving a throat 19. From a (point in proximity to the point 11 to the a j these flanges are gradually widened. The

opposite side edges of the flanges 16 and the posite side edges of'the portion beyond t e flanges 16 are longitudinally recessed, as.

at 20, and this body portion A is formed with a plurality of transversely extending 15,. a seen that .this body A isidentically formed upon its u per and lower faces so thateither bolt holes 15, as heretofore described,.for

' the part :13, these bolt holes being adapted to receive the bolts whereby the splice bars B and vC are held to the body A. It will be face Of'tlllS body portion A may be turned upward to support the strain of a railway ;train. The part 13'is to receive and be bolted to the 'convergingrails of the track. The

- extending rib 22 which extends into the recess or groove 20. formed along the entire part 10 is a tread portion of the frog, as are.

the relatively wide portions of the flanges 18.

The splice bars and C are different in "detailed formation but are substantially alike in that they are formed to engage the opposite side edges of the body A, interlock therewith, and be fastened thereto by transversely extending bolts to form lateral extensions of the body A. The splice bar C is, generally speaking, like an elongated fish plate or the ordinary splice bars used on railways, except that it is curved or angled to fit against the side face of the body A.

The splice'bar C has a'laterally projectingflange 21 bearing upon the ties in'the same manner as the flange of a. railway rail and adapted to be held to the ties by the overhanging spike heads. The inner face of the splice bar is formed with a longitudinally side edge face of the body A. The splice bar C is also formed with a series of elonigated apertures 23. for the passage of bolts 24"heretofore referred to as passing through the openings 15, these elongated apertures being adapted toaline with the openings 15. The vertical portion 'ofuthe splice bar extends from apoint beyondvone end of the body A to 1a point approximately at the junction of the curved edge face 17 of the 6.0 nally extending'tapered; ribor boss 28, and

Web '16 with the edge face of the end 12 of the, portion 10, but this splice bar. is formed with a horizontally'disposed web 25 which extendslaterally inward from a point about the middle of the splice bar C. and extends beyond the butt end 26 of the splice bar. Thisiweb .25 is provided at the reentrant angle '27 of the splice bar with a longitudi the web 25 at its rear corner is also provided with an upwardly extendingrelatively narrowvboss or protuberance 29. That por- .tion of thesplioe bar C, which projects be-1 acent extremity of the frogv yond the body is formed'like a fish'plate to engage a rail of the track and is perforated, as at 30,- for the passage of the ordinary fish'plate bolt s. The splice bar B is substantially the same in form as the splice bar C; It also is provided with the horizontally extending lateral flange 21, withv the inwardly projecting rib 22, with the "slots 23 for the passage of bolts 2 1, and with a web 25 having thereon the longitudinally extending somewhat tapered-boss '28 and withthe boss 29 at the inner corner of its butt end, but this splice bar'B differs from the splice bar A, in that it is also provided with an integral web 31 adjacent the end remote from the lug or boss 29, this web' projecting out fartherthan the web 25 and being formed with a longitudinally extending rib or boss 32. This web 31xis joined to the web 25 by a relatively narrow, longitudinally extending "web- 33. It will be.

understood that the webs 25 of both splice bars extend beneath the body A, as does the web 31; Both of the webs 25 of'both splice bars are provided with an upwardly projecting flange 26 at thebutt end'of the splice bar which is much lowertha-n but forms a' continuation of the main vertical web of the splice bar, as illustrated most clearlyfin Fig. 6.

When these three sections of the fro are engaged with each other, asshown in ig.-1.

and the sectional views in Figs. 3 to 6, the

' web 31 extends beneath the'body A and the rib 32 extends upward in the space'between the downwardly projecting flanges 18? of the body and bears against theunder face with the closely adjacent laterally disposed flanges 18 and 18 on its opposite faces. The longitudinally extending somewhat tapered ribs, bosses or protuberance-s 28,. as illustrated in the section in Fig. 5, are disposed between the part 10 and the flange 18 and act to support the-web 16 atthispoint. The vertical portions of the side bars terminate short of the butt end 12 ofthe part 10 of the body A, permitting fish plates D to be;

bolted to the opposite side faces of the butt end of part 10, these fish plates extending parallel 'to the opposite side faces of the manner for the attachment of IallSE between the part 13 and these fish plates D. M

' projecting portion 13 of part 10 in the usual section beingreversible as regards its upper and under faces so that after .the tread surfaces have been 'worn down unduly, the body middle section would not touchthe ground sectionmay bereversed' to present new tread faces. It will be seen that in all essential respects the frogis like the frogs ordinarily found on railways'and that it functions in the'same manner, but that the thin portions of the body of'the frog are supported against the weight of the rolling stock by the fillers constituted by the lugs, protuberances or ribs 28, 29 and 32. 7 It Wlll be seen also that they lateral section or splice bars of the frog are interlocked with the body of the frog so that shearing strain is taken off the bolts and that this shearing strain is further eliminated from the bolts because, of-the' fact that the body of thefrog is fully supported by thefillers 28, 29 and 32 and by the protuberant middle portion 10 of the frog.

Attention is tobe called to the fact that in my frog, there are but three sections and three sections only and that this frogis notwhat is" technically known as a rail-bound .frog,,.

that is a frog, the lateral "sections of which are formed'of rails. In myconstructiomas will be evident from Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, the uppermost face of the middle section A is at all times above the upper edge faces of the lateral sections B andC so that under no circumstances are these lateral sections worn down under the action of the train I under all circumstances this middle section wheels. Therefore when the. middle section A has its upper face worn down to a degree .rendering the reversal of the frog necessary, and the frog is reversed, the face .of the previously under section now turned upward is again above the upper edge faces of the'lateral sections B1 and- C.' Were the lateral sections composed of rails which eventually merged into the rails of the track on a level with the upper face of the middle portion of the frog, thenthe middle portion of the frog would wear downward and the wheels would also wear downward the up-'.

per edge faces of the lateral sections. Then when the middle portion of the frog was reversed, the middlefportion of the frogv would stand above the worn faces of the rails, which might or might not bea very dangerous condition, depending upon the extent to which these lateral rails were worn.

In my construction it will be seen that the lateral sections B and C have no tread faces, in other words that all of the tread faces of the frog are on the middle section andthat stands up higher than the upper edge faces of the lateral sections. It. is'further to be noted that the middle sectionis supported by the tongues 20 of the lateral sections as well as by the portions 28, 29 and 32 so. that i no strain comes u onythebolts 15. If the middle portion 0 the frog were not supp t y th t ngues 20 and by the upwardly projecting parts 28., 29 and 32,, then when the middl'e section ofthe frog was worn and reversed, the lower face of'this or be otherwise supported,'an'd as a consequence all strain would come upon the bolt.

In my construction further, the weakest part of the fro is the heel 13, but it will be noted from fi v1 that the rails E fit up a ainst this heel block and receive the tongue of the heel block, and that splice bars D,,as

shown in Fig. 6, rest on the inclined surfaces c are very liable to become warped and twisted unless'they are suitably supported after reversing and'asolid foundation provided for the base of thefrog to rest on. Such a.

foundation and support is provided .atall times in my improved: frog. I'claim:-." I

1. A frog formed of an integral middle section and two lateral: supporting sections,.

the middle section being reversible top to bottom and having upon its opposite facesall of the wheel'su'pporting tread portions of the frog, the tread portions of the midof the lateral supportingsections in all positions of the middle portion.

2. A frog formed of. amiddle sectionand two lateral sections, the middle section being reversible and being formed on both faces with tread portions of the frog, the lateral sections carrying filling pieces disposed beneath the thin portions of the middle secdle section extendingabove the upper edges and through the middle section and holding them in engagement with each other, the tongues and grooves supporting the middle section, and said middle section having its upper tread faces at all times disposed above the level' of the upper edges ofthe lateral sections.

4." A frog formed of a middle section and 7 two lateral sections, the middle section be ing reversible'and having thereon the wheel supporting portions of the'frog,vthe lateral sections and the middle section being formed on their confronting edge faces with coacting longitudinally extending tongues and grooves, and'bolts passing through the lateral sections and through the middle section and holding them in engagement with each other, said lateral sections being formed to:

provideinwardly projecting webs extending beneath the middle section, the websbeing provided with inwardly projecting pro-" tuberant portions acting as fillers anddis posed between the bearing portions of the middle section and acting to support the I middle section.

portion beingformed withl transve'rsely ex tending bolt holes, and lateral sections fitting against the side edges of the middle section and having perforations for the passage ofbolt holes, one of said lateral sections havingfan integral horizontal web adapted to extend beneath one end of the middle sec-- tion and having a longitudinally extending rib adaptedto fill thespace between the lateral bearing flanges of the middle section, both of said lateral sections'adj acentfone end being formed with inwardly extending webs adapted .toextendbeneath the middle section, each of said .webs having a longitudinally'extending rib adapted to fill the spaces between the tapered medially disposed bear-' ing portion of the middle section and the laterally disposed flanges thereof, and bolts passing through the three sections and hold- 5 ing them together.

6. A frogformed of a middle section and two lateral sections, the middle section being formed on each of its faces with a longitudinally. extending tapering medially disposed bearing portion and laterally of this medial portion on each face with longitudi-" nally extending converging bearing flanges extending in proximity to each other beyond the taperingmiddle portion and then diverging, the middle portion of said flanges being spaced from each other, said middle portionlbeing' formed with transversely ex tending bolt holes, and lateral sections fitting against the side edges of the middle section and having'perforations for the pas- ,sage of bolt holes, one of said lateral sections having anfintegral horizontal web adapted to extendrbeneath oneend' of the middle see i tion "and having 'a longitudinally" extending;

rib adapted to fillthespace between the lat V eral-bearingflanges of themiddle section,

" both of said lateral sections adjacent one end beingfformed'with inwardly extendin webs adapted to extend beneath 'the'midd e section, each of said webs havi'ng'a longitudinally extending .rib' adaptedto fill 'thespaces i between the tapered'medially disposed bearing portion of the 'middle 7 section" and 'the laterally disposed flanges'thereof, and bolts passing through the three sections and holding. them together, the confronting faces of the lateralsections and the middle section being formed with interlocking tongues,

and grooves.

7. Afrog formed on each of its'faces with a longitudinally extendingtapering medially disposed bearing portion and laterally of this'medial portion on each face with lon itudinally extending converging bearing flanges extending in proximity to each other beyond the tapering middle portion and then diverging,

the middle portion of said flanges being spaced from each other,'said middle portion being formedwith transversely 7 extending bolt holes, andlateral sections fitting'ag'ainst the side 'edges of the middle section and havbeneath one end of the middle section and having a longitudinally extending rib adaptformedof a 'middle sec'tionand' two lateraljsections, the middle section being in perforations for it the passage of bolt ho es, one of said lateral sections having an 7 integral horizontal web adapted to extend ed to fill the space between the lateral bearing flanges of' the middle section, both of sa d lateral sections adjacent onei end being formed with inwardly extending webs adapted to extend beneath the [middle sec:

tion, each of said websfhaving alongitudil nally extending rib adapted; to fill the spaces between the tapered medially disposed bear ing portion of the middle sectlon and the latering through the three sections andholding V ally disposed flanges thereof, and bolts pass them together, the confronting faces of the lateral sections; and themiddle section being formed with interlocking tongues and grooves,'the middle portion of the middle section at its largeend being provided with V a rail engagin'gextension having its oppo-a site surfaces depressed below the opposite surfaceslof' the middle section, the middle section being recessed in alinement with the upper andlower surfaces of. this exten'sion and the lateral extensions having at their corners ribs adapted to 'be'disposed within said depressed portion of the middle seetion.g l i 8. A fro'gformed' of a middle reversible section and two lateral sections formed to 7 to the railbed.

support the middle section in either of its positions and with its tread faces above the upper edges of the lateral sections, said lateral sections having base flanges extending outward beyond the upper portions of the lateral sections whereby they may be spiked 9. A reversible frog composed of a reversible middle section having upon its op posite faces all of the tread faces of the frog and two lateral sections conterminous with the middle section, the lateral sections being provided with longitudinally extending, inwardly projecting tongues, the middle section having on each edge face longitudinally extendlng recesses into which said tongues fit, said lateral sections having webs extending beneath the middle section and formed with supporting lugs fitting the spaces between the tread faces of the middle section and against the bottom of said spaces,

and bolts passing through the lateral sections and the middle section.

10. A frog of the character described comprising a middle reversible section formed with the tread faces of the frog and lateral sections, the heel end of the middle section being formed with an outwardly widening heel, the lateral faces of which are formed with longitudinally extending tongues adapted to extend between the heads and flanges of abutting rails, splice bars engaging in lateral grooves on the .body of the middle section adjacent said heel and extending parallel to the heel whereby rails may be received between the heel and said splice bars, and bolts passingflthrough the splice bars and the heel. 1

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature. 4

RICHARD P. WEAVER. 

